Sharing is Caring

Mr Jimmy Koh, 67, is no stranger to volunteering, having been an active grassroots volunteer for more than a decade.

 

In 2018, his scope of volunteering expanded when he heeded the call for Chinese calligraphy teachers to conduct classes at the newly opened Active Ageing Hub @ Kampung Admiralty by NTUC Health.

 

Having been trained in the fine arts and calligraphy during his younger days, he felt excited that he could use his set of skills to benefit the residents and community.

 

For Jimmy, who is semi-retired from his retail business, he shares that a key reason for being an active volunteer in the community is his belief that community events and activities play a critical role in community bonding.

 

“Moreover, I also feel a sense of fulfilment when I can render my help to fellow seniors,” says Jimmy.

 

Learning to be more Giving

 

Jimmy’s positive spirit certainly shines through, infecting residents and members of the Active Ageing Hub who genuinely look forward to attending his classes. In fact, after circuit breaker regulations were relaxed, his calligraphy class was one of the first to be revived due to its popularity.

 

Jimmy shares that in addition to the fulfilment he feels in helping others, volunteering has also moulded him to be a better person.

 

“I have learnt not to be selfish about imparting my calligraphy skills. I have also learnt to be more tolerant and forgiving, especially when coming across difficult and demanding seniors. Instead of taking things personally, I will employ patience coupled with lots of give-and-take to overcome any friction that arises,” Jimmy elaborated.

 

Today, Jimmy is only worried about one challenge – which is how he can best maximise his time to teach his students and motivate them to improve their sense of art. Hence, whenever he can, he will conduct additional activities and lessons, such as pencil sketching, to enhance the course participants’ learning journeys.

 

Thinking ahead, he has also started thinking about making plans to groom new volunteers who can help to facilitate the classes and even lead their own classes in future.

 

For now, however, he has no plans to stop volunteering.

 

Reflecting on his journey so far, he says, “Just by sacrificing a bit of my family time, I have been able to be a blessing to others in way that I couldn’t previously imagine. I am truly grateful for this.”

 

If you would like to find out more about NTUC Health Beyond Befriending Programme, please email enquiries@ntuchealth.sg.

 

To check out other volunteering opportunities for seniors, visit https://www.c3a.org.sg/volunteerism.

 

Source: NTUC Health Co-operative Ltd. Reproduced with permission.